Beyond the Dark is a horror anthology but unlike The ABC’s of Death or the V/H/S franchise this film doesn’t keep its vignettes entirely clear of one another. Meaning that not only do they dissolve into one another but they all live in the same world which translates into the same Wolfman feature being shown on different televisions throughout and a couple of characters showing up in different places, making this more similar to my favorite horror anthology of all time Trick’r’Treat. While most of the shifts from tale to tale are seamless there are a couple that are a little more jarring but overall the concept here works brilliantly well.

Depicted as eight tales of horror twisted into one feature film with unpredictable turns at the end of each segment, Beyond the Dark is a Michigan made film that involves over 200 talented actors, musicians, and artists from all over Michigan. And for the most part, all of these talented people did one helluva job There were a couple of minor instances where an actor seemed a little less seasoned than his or her counterparts and one poorly done CGI job but considering this is a indie film with a small essential crew and that many actors, etc. those slights are easily forgiven.

The film starts with the ever classic zombie apocalypse then segueways into a Dexter like scenario only to dissolve into an intriguing tale of murder and justice. Other segments include serial killers, demons, vampires and unknown creatures, all of which are creepy in their own right. Obviously each person watching will have their favorites but my personal two faves were the zombie apocalypse (because who doesn’t love zombies, right?) and the classic camping trip gone awry. And that’s one of the wonderful things about this film – it includes something for everybody. Pick your favorite creature feature, pick your favorite slasher type, pick more gore or less -this film has it all.

So yes, this film is fun. But more importantly, it’s incredibly well done. This was clearly conceived and developed by people who have a love of film and, one would assume, a love of horror. Each vignette features its own special little character trait, whether it’s sepia hues or technicolor or simply the perfect soundtrack. Each character perfectly thought out. Without a doubt, this is one of my favorite horror films of the year, thus far.

You can learn more about Beyond the Dark by visiting the website or the film’s Facebook page, and I highly recommend you do. Better hurry, or something deadly is bound to get you…